HUD Reports Largest Drop in Homelessness
The federal agency credits a shift away from the Housing First model, though local counts in Los Angeles rose.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Employment
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HUD announced that homelessness recorded its largest-ever decline nationwide, with the 2026 Point-in-Time count recording 698,425 homeless individuals on a single night in January. Nationwide homelessness decreased 6.3% since President Trump took office in 2025.
Why it matters
HUD is replacing the Housing First model, which provides shelter without requiring addiction treatment first, with Treatment First policies that emphasize substance abuse treatment. HUD credited President Trump's border crackdown and push to replace the Biden-era approach, which it said had increased homelessness by 28% from 2022 to 2025.
The January 2026 Point-in-Time count recorded 698,425 homeless individuals nationwide, a 6.3% decrease since 2025, after a 28% rise from 2022 to 2025. The extraction does not say how the count was conducted beyond its single-night timing or whether the decline holds across all regions.
The players
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
The federal agency responsible for national housing policy and the homelessness count that underpins the announced decline.
President Donald Trump
The sitting U.S. President, who signed the July 2025 executive order directing federal agencies to pursue Treatment First policies.
The details
HUD attributed the decline to a shift from the Housing First model toward Treatment First policies, following an executive order Trump signed in July 2025. Local figures diverged from the national trend, with Los Angeles County's estimated homeless population rising 1.2% to 73,040 and the city of Los Angeles rising 3.4% to 45,194.
Timeline
July 2025: Trump signs executive order directing federal agencies toward Treatment First policies.
2022 to 2025: Homelessness rises 28% under the Housing First mandate.
January 2026: Point-in-Time count records 698,425 homeless individuals nationwide.
November 6, 2026: HUD announces the record decline in homelessness.
Market Landscape
The announcement marks a direct reversal of the Biden administration's Housing First mandate, which HUD says drove a 28% rise in homelessness between 2022 and 2025. The Treatment First framework now replaces it as federal policy.
Renters and people experiencing homelessness may see shifts in shelter access and eligibility as HUD moves away from Housing First toward requirements tied to addiction treatment. The extraction does not specify when or how those rules would take effect in local programs.
The takeaway
Readers tracking homelessness should watch local counts, which can diverge sharply from national totals, as the Los Angeles figures show. The national decline should be weighed against regional data before drawing conclusions about policy effectiveness.
Further reading
For broader context on related federal programs, see Employment.
Source note: This article includes information reported by New York Post.
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